Taking on bullying together

Tuesday

Jan 22, 2013 at 6:00 AM

By Robert F. Pezzella

On May 4, 2010, Gov. Deval Patrick signed into law “An Act Relative to Bullying in Schools.” Every school district, including the Worcester Public Schools, was mandated to implement a comprehensive plan to report, investigate and respond to acts of bullying in our schools.

The Worcester Public Schools quickly developed a Bullying Prevention and Intervention Plan. The plan was introduced in our school system by conducting staff and school administration bullying trainings. To educate our students, we produced DVD trainings throughout K-12 grade levels on how to identify and report bullying.

Prior to the plan being put in effect, a bullying roundtable discussion took place with parents, student representatives and our collaborating agency partners, including the district attorney, Juvenile Court, police, and social service agencies in order to seek valuable input on a social issue that’s been a part of our personal and community lives going back generations.

Since our plan has been implemented under the direction of Superintendent Melinda Boone, there have been reports of student bullying witnessed from parents, students, school personnel and other concerned individuals advocating for the targets of bullying.

Those reported cases happened from cyber bullying or other social media outlets occurring on and off school property, including from Facebook and Twitter accounts, along with gang intimidation and verbal taunts that aggressors routinely impose on vulnerable targets of bullying.

Knowing that bullying has no boundaries, school administration officials are usually alerted to this type of bullying if it occurs off school property and need to promptly investigate it where it can carry over into school the next day and cause more harm to targets of bullying.

The other forms of bullying that occur on school premises are also investigated quickly to ensure safety and follow-up action for all affected parties, especially bystanders who refuse to stand silent any longer to witness the trauma inflicted on targets.

The Worcester Public Schools have been very proactive since the inception of the bullying law in providing an array of interventions to both the aggressors and targets of bullying.

First-time aggressors of bullying and their parents receive a one-hour bullying class from a school safety counselor that focuses on an education of the bullying law and related consequences, as well as providing referrals to appropriate services.

Last year, the school district collaborated with the presiding judge of Juvenile Court, the district attorney, YOU, Inc., police, and probation officials in creating the BRACE Project (Bullying Remediation and Court Education).

This special bullying intervention program is a six-hour class for repeat student offenders of bullying and is held in one of our schools three to four times a year. Parent participation is required and follow-up services are provided for aggressors in order to monitor and prevent any future acts of bullying.

Regarding targets of bullying, just this year 13 million American kids will be bullied, reiterating how bullying has become the most common form of harassment and violence in our country and schools. It reminds us as educators and safety officials that we need to remain vigilant and provide safety plans for targets, encourage bystanders and other concerned individuals to come forward and report bullying in order to ensure targets are being heard, helped, and not forgotten.

The Worcester Public Schools and collaborating community partners have to remain committed in keeping bullying in the forefront of the everyday lives of all students, parents and community members.

That is why on Feb. 28, the Worcester Public Schools will be co-sponsoring a bullying conference at South High Community School with our BRACE Project partners that will highlight the success of the program and offer it to other school districts throughout Central Massachusetts.

Through a generous grant from our sponsor, DCU Center for Kids, the conference will also focus on the national documentary “The Bully Project,” a film directed by Lee Hirsh, who visited Worcester in October and spoke about this moving and emotional film that followed five kids and families during the school year.

South High Community School sent its entire student body to a local theater to watch “The Bully Project” and is doing follow-up programs to encourage students to stand up and be counted in defeating bullying at that school.

That same Bully Project DVD and other information will be given to each school representative who participates in the conference that will allow them to return to their respective school like South High and strive to prevent future bullying and help those targets who are in need of support of this national school crisis.

Robert F. Pezzella is school safety liaison for the Worcester Public Schools.